Travel Alert: USA Immigration Ban

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28th June 2017

UPDATE 28/6/2017

In recent months the President of the United States has attempted to implement an executive order to ban citizens from six predominantly Muslim nations from entering the USA. More than one federal court judge blocked the ruling and it was subsequently put forward to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).

This week the SCOTUS ruled that the travel ban will now go into limited effect before it reviews the full executive order in October of this year.

This means that effective Thursday 29 June and until further notice, citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen will be restricted from entering the United States.

Please note that the revised (and now implemented) executive order only affects citizens of the six countries listed above. People who are dual citizens of one of the listed countries and another will still require a visa to enter the USA but will not be restricted as per the attached conditions.

UPDATE 17/3/2017

A US federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump's latest revised executive order reintroducing a travel ban imposed on certain countries, which was due to take effect on March 16. Until further notice, there is no travel ban in place for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen.

This means:

Citizens and dual citizens of any of the six countries who hold an existing visa, US citizenship or a Green Card to enter the USA may do so.
Citizens and dual citizens of one of the six listed nations may continue to apply for visas to enter the USA, including refugee visas.
Iraqi citizens were exempt from the most recent version of the ban and may enter the USA as before.
There is no change to the ESTA requirement for citizens of visa waiver countries.

We strongly advise that you apply for your visa at least two months prior to travel. We also strongly recommend that anyone who has any questions about their travel status or visa validity, contacts their nearest US embassy or consulate.

On 6 March 2017 a revised executive order was issued by the President of the United States which among other things, imposed a ban on entry to the USA for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for at least 90 days. This new travel ban takes effect from 16 March 2017 and as it stands, would deny these citizens entry to the USA until at least 14 June 2017.

This replaces the previous travel ban which was overturned by the Federal Court. It is important to note that the ACLU and other organisations intend to dispute this order also.

*These FAQs do not constitute visa advice. Visa advice can be obtained from the US Department of Homeland Security or your nearest US embassy or consulate.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A US VISA?

We strongly advise that you apply for your visa at least two months prior to travel. The process may be expedited but it is best to allow as much time as possible.

You should begin your visa application here:

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/

CAN MY TRAVEL CONSULTANT CONTACT THE US CONSULATE ON MY BEHALF?

It is best if you contact the consulate yourself due to the personal nature of the information and the identity verification they will require. You should have your passport details handy when you are speaking to the consulate.

I HAVE VISITED ONE OF THE SIX BANNED COUNTRIES SINCE 01 MARCH 2011. CAN I TRAVEL TO THE US?

Whether a citizen of one of the six countries or not, you will require a visa to enter the USA if you have visited Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since 01 March 2011. You must contact your nearest US consulate or embassy for further advice.

I AM NOT A CITIZEN OF ONE OF THESE COUNTRIES, NOR HAVE I VISITED ANY OF THEM SINCE 01 MARCH 2011. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO TRAVEL TO THE USA?

If you are a citizen of a visa waiver country (including Australia, New Zealand, Britain) you will be required to hold a valid ESTA.

I WAS AFFECTED BY THE PREVIOUS BAN AND ADJUSTED MY TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS ACCORDINGLY. CAN I CHANGE THEM AGAIN SINCE I CAN NOW TRAVEL?

Please speak to your travel consultant. Our airline and wholesale partners are working with us to help all of our affected customers. We will do all we can to re-accommodate you.

I AM NOT PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY THE BAN BUT NO LONGER WISH TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES AT THIS TIME.

We suggest that you refer to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advice on the United Sates before making any decision about your travel. Please be aware that normal change and cancellation fees apply to customers who are not directly affected by this executive order.

WILL THIS ALL CHANGE AGAIN?

Unfortunately it may as we have already seen significant changes to the original executive order in the past few weeks. We suggest that you stay in close contact with your travel consultant and continue to refer questions to the US embassy or consulate nearest you.

We strongly recommend that anyone who has any questions about their travel status or visa validity, contacts their nearest US embassy or consulate.